CATARACT surgery and specialty lenses

[DaveNV]

Just got home from Surgery #2. All went well although it took longer than the first one.

I asked about the eye drops-free and "seed" that was mentioned above. as an option. The doctor said they do that on occasion. I am taking a blood thinner and the risk of bleeding is greater with the "seed."

Interesting. My surgery scheduler nurse asked if I was on blood thinners, which I'm not. I wonder if that means I'll get off drops-free? It's interesting how these various surgical centers across the country tend to ask the same questions. There must be a standardized process they have to follow.

Dave

 

[chapjim]

Interesting. My surgery scheduler nurse asked if I was on blood thinners, which I'm not. I wonder if that means I'll get off drops-free? It's interesting how these various surgical centers across the country tend to ask the same questions. There must be a standardized process they have to follow.

Dave

I think you're right about standardization. Let's face it. Sooner or later everyone develops cataracts. Cataract surgery deals with a very small area and may well be the most performed and least risky of surgical procedures. Hence, best practices have been developed over the years.

The way I understood it, blood thinners tend to rule out the drops-free option. But, not being on blood thinners is not a guarantee of the drops-free option, at least not at the Army hospital that did my surgeries. The doctor said, yes, we do that sometimes.

 

[DaveNV]

I think you're right about standardization. Let's face it. Sooner or later everyone develops cataracts. Cataract surgery deals with a very small area and may well be the most performed and least risky of surgical procedures. Hence, best practices have been developed over the years.

The way I understood it, blood thinners tend to rule out the drops-free option. But, not being on blood thinners is not a guarantee of the drops-free option, at least not at the Army hospital that did my surgeries. The doctor said, yes, we do that sometimes.

Ask me after I get back from surgery tomorrow.

Dave

 

[chapjim]

Ask me after I get back from surgery tomorrow.

Dave

I hope all goes well!

 

[oceanblue2]

T

Oh.. I wanted to do that - both eyes at the same time - couldn't talk my doctor into it. My understanding is it's a precaution - what if something goes wrong... I was willing to go with the risk - it seems like such a perfected procedure. And having to go through everything twice, including the expenses (my surgery was pre-medicare so I had deductibles and copays to consider). But couldn't talk him into it.

I only needed one eye done (sooner or later the 2nd one) so I only did one - but would have done both and gotten it over with if I could!!

Now I'm jealous!!

The only requirement that the doctor had was that I didn't live alone. If I had been on my own it would have required two surgeries. As you mentioned it was only one co-pay which was an added benefit. When my DH had his surgery at a later date with the same doctor she did both of his eyes on the same day too.

 

[chapjim]

T

The only requirement that the doctor had was that I didn't live alone. If I had been on my own it would have required two surgeries. As you mentioned it was only one co-pay which was an added benefit. When my DH had his surgery at a later date with the same doctor she did both of his eyes on the same day too.

In retrospect and considering how trouble-free my surgeries have been (knock on wood!), I could easily have had both eyes done in one sitting.

Wonder when @DaveNV will be done and how it went?

 

[DaveNV]

In retrospect and considering how trouble-free my surgeries have been (knock on wood!), I could easily have had both eyes done in one sitting.

Wonder when @DaveNV will be done and how it went?

I’m waiting to check in shortly. Ask me in an hour or two.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Home from eye surgery. It went well, and was less of an issue than I'd made it out to be. Like so many things, it was all in my head.

I'm still a bit loopy from the anesthetic, and haven't tested my vision with the eye with the new lens, other than gently visually sweeping the room. I thnk it's better? I'm wearing an eye patch till tomorrow, then overnight for several nights to come. So when I take it off tomorrow morning, I'll be able to better check. From what I can tell, I think things will be better.

Added bonus: No eye drops.

Dave

 

[Rolltydr]

Home from eye surgery. It went well, and was less of an issue than I'd made it out to be. Like so many things, it was all in my head.

I'm still a bit loopy from the anesthetic, and haven't tested my vision with the eye with the new lens, other than gently visually sweeping the room. I thnk it's better? I'm wearing an eye patch till tomorrow, then overnight for several nights to come. So when I take it off tomorrow morning, I'll be able to better check. From what I can tell, I think things will be better.

Added bonus: No eye drops.

Dave

Great news, Dave. And, enjoy the loopy. It’s a fringe benefit.

And no eye drops? You’re way ahead of the game. Do you have a follow-up tomorrow?

 

[DaveNV]

Great news, Dave. And, enjoy the loopy. It’s a fringe benefit.

And no eye drops? You’re way ahead of the game. Do you have a follow-up tomorrow?

Yes, follow up tomorrow, then one in a week. Repeat for the second eye in two weeks.

Yeah, no eye drops. They inject something in there that does what the drops do, I guess. I don’t mind.

I took off the eye patch to see how things looked. The surgery eye has a watery view right now, but the brightness is impressive. I have very high hopes for a good outcome.

Loopy is wearing off. Dang.

Dave

 

[chapjim]

Home from eye surgery. It went well, and was less of an issue than I'd made it out to be. Like so many things, it was all in my head.

I'm still a bit loopy from the anesthetic, and haven't tested my vision with the eye with the new lens, other than gently visually sweeping the room. I thnk it's better? I'm wearing an eye patch till tomorrow, then overnight for several nights to come. So when I take it off tomorrow morning, I'll be able to better check. From what I can tell, I think things will be better.

Added bonus: No eye drops.

Dave

Very nice! Your post-op instructions are identical to mine -- patch at night for three nights after the one day follow-up. Mainly to keep from rubbing that eye.

 

[DaveNV]

Very nice! Your post-op instructions are identical to mine -- patch at night for three nights after the one day follow-up. Mainly to keep from rubbing that eye.

Yes, that’s what they said. I’m fine with it.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Well, good morning world! This is exciting for me.

Took off the patch when I woke up this morning, and have been gradually adjusting to the new vision in my surgical (left) eye. Things are extremely clear, and very different than what I'm used to. I've worn glasses since Kindergarten (that's sixty five years, if anyone is counting), and I've gotten used to my eyes working at different visual levels. But this is a very different experience for me. My right eye has always been (and continues to be) dominant. So the left eye has always sort of hung back and let the right eye do most of the visual work. Now, for the first time, the left eye has a clearer view (without glasses) than the right eye has, even with them. If I put on my glasses to see clearly with my dominant right eye, I have to close the left one, because the view through the prescription lens makes that side very blurry. So I'm in process of putting on and taking off my glasses, depending on what I need to do. And I'm finding if I put on my glasses and close my left eye, I can see to type up close. But to watch TV it's better to take my glasses off, when looking across the room. Kind of different behavior for me, but a very welcome change. I'm wondering how much better things will be overall once the right eye is done in two weeks. (And how I'll manage close and far vision till then.)

I know this is a routine procedure done thousands of times a month all over the world, and that my experience isn't unique. But it's a first for me. I'm excited, and very pleased. Looking forward to being post-op and healed up on both sides. This is really, really nice.

Dave

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

then overnight for several nights to come.

The eye patch at night is just to keep you from inadvertently or accidentally rubbing the eye while you're asleep or while you're not fully awake.

 

[DaveNV]

The eye patch at night is just to keep you from inadvertently or accidentally rubbing the eye while you're asleep or while you're not fully awake.

And I know I'd need that. I accidentally rubbed my eye this morning without thinking about it - got my attention very quickly. I don't want to do that again.

Dave

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Things are extremely clear, and very different than what I'm used to. I've worn glasses since Kindergarten (that's sixty five years, if anyone is counting), and I've gotten used to my eyes working at different visual levels. But this is a very different experience for me. My right eye has always been (and continues to be) dominant. So the left eye has always sort of hung back and let the right eye do most of the visual work. Now, for the first time, the left eye has a clearer view (without glasses) than the right eye has, even with them. If I put on my glasses to see clearly with my dominant right eye, I have to close the left one, because the view through the prescription lens makes that side very blurry. So I'm in process of putting on and taking off my glasses, depending on what I need to do.

During my presurgery visits, the eye surgeon noted I had strabismus in my right eye - essentially lazy eye. Most of my vision was being done with my right left eye. She commented that sometimes that clears up after cataract surgery. My thought is that since my right eye was weaker, my brain was ignoring the right eye except when vision from both eyes was needed, and so my brain wasn't bothering to control my right eye most of the time.

They did the cataract surgery on my right eye first, and as soon as that was done the strabismus disappeared.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

And I know I'd need that. I accidentally rubbed my eye this morning without thinking about it - got my attention very quickly. I don't want to do that again.

Dave

I actually kept my patch on during the day for a couple of extra days because I didn't trust myself to not rub my eye without thinking. And there were several times when that happened.

Wearing the patch during the day wasn't much of an issue with my first surgery, because I had only been using my good eye for so long that it was almost normal. And after the second surgery, the vision in my right eye was far better than what I had pre-surgery.

 

[Rolltydr]

Great news, Dave! You sound excited, and you should be. It's great, at our advanced age , to see through a completely new lens. I'm looking forward to see how you progress over the next few weeks with both eyes. When I had surgery on my right eye (distance vision and dominant eye) two years ago, my vision actually seemed to regress over a few week period immediately after the surgery. With my recent surgery on the left eye last month, it seems to have improved. I have another followup tomorrow so I'm interested to see what the numbers are and if the vision has actually changed or if it's a case of my brain just adjusting to the new lens. Regardless, I'm not having to wear glasses, except regular sunglasses, for the first time in about 30 years.

 

[DaveNV]

During my presurgery visits, the eye surgeon noted I had strabismus in my right eye - essentially lazy eye. Most of my vision was being done with my right eye. She commented that sometimes that clears up after cataract surgery. My thought is that since my right eye was weaker, my brain was ignoring the right eye except when vision from both eyes was needed, and so my brain wasn't bothering to control my right eye most of the time.

They did the cataract surgery on my right eye first, and as soon as that was done the strabismus disappeared.

I have it in my left eye, which is the one they did first. I wonder if that’ll happen for me? Hmm…

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Great news, Dave! You sound excited, and you should be. It's great, at our advanced age , to see through a completely new lens. I'm looking forward to see how you progress over the next few weeks with both eyes. When I had surgery on my right eye (distance vision and dominant eye) two years ago, my vision actually seemed to regress over a few week period immediately after the surgery. With my recent surgery on the left eye last month, it seems to have improved. I have another followup tomorrow so I'm interested to see what the numbers are and if the vision has actually changed or if it's a case of my brain just adjusting to the new lens. Regardless, I'm not having to wear glasses, except regular sunglasses, for the first time in about 30 years.

I’m ready to enjoy any sort of improvement. Fingers crossed!

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

Eye surgery always seems like such a personal miracle. After I had RK, then LASIK almost 25 years ago, and was no longer dependent on my 'Coke bottle bottom' heavy eyeglasses, I felt freed. Looking forward to getting new lenses implanted even though it's probably going to mean using readers. I have monovision now, but the weaker one isn't carrying it's share of the vision.

Jim

 

[b2bailey]

It went well, and was less of an issue than I'd made it out to be.


My favorite part of your update, since I'm scheduled for surgery next month.


Added bonus: No eye drops.

Hoping for this also.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Eye surgery always seems like such a personal miracle. After I had RK, then LASIK almost 25 years ago, and was no longer dependent on my 'Coke bottle bottom' heavy eyeglasses, I felt freed. Looking forward to getting new lenses implanted even though it's probably going to mean using readers. I have monovision now, but the weaker one isn't carrying it's share of the vision.

Jim

I think you'll be quite surprised. I commented this morning how much brighter things are on the surgical eye, where the non-surgical eye view is dimmer, and more yellowed. (A guy on TV had bright silver hair, bordering on blue with the surgical eye, where from the other eye his hair looked dull and kind of dirty.) The Doc today during my follow up asked if I'd noticed a change in visual coloration of things. He said the yellowish tone to things was because I was looking through the cataract. Just a remarkable change.

Dave

 

[lynne]

Eye surgery always seems like such a personal miracle. After I had RK, then LASIK almost 25 years ago, and was no longer dependent on my 'Coke bottle bottom' heavy eyeglasses, I felt freed. Looking forward to getting new lenses implanted even though it's probably going to mean using readers. I have monovision now, but the weaker one isn't carrying it's share of the vision.

Jim

Aloha Jim,

I also had Lasik monovision over 20 years ago and as I aged, my "reading" eye (the non-dominant eye) changed to 20/20 distance same as my right dominant eye. I really disliked having to use reading glasses, so I had a contact lens to correct back to monovision for that single eye. When I finally had cataract surgery on the reading eye, I went back to monovision without reading glasses. My dominant eye was good for an additional 5 years until the cataract was ready to be replaced with the new lens.

You may still be a candidate for mono-vision without the need for readers.

Lynne

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I think you'll be quite surprised. I commented this morning how much brighter things are on the surgical eye, where the non-surgical eye view is dimmer, and more yellowed. (A guy on TV had bright silver hair, bordering on blue with the surgical eye, where from the other eye his hair looked dull and kind of dirty.) The Doc today during my follow up asked if I'd noticed a change in visual coloration of things. He said the yellowish tone to things was because I was looking through the cataract. Just a remarkable change.

Dave

The day after surgery, when the patch came off, I said to myself - "I remember that color. It's called white."

I also really needed sunglasses for the first time in years.